According to a Hindu Times article, 2008 Diwali celebrations in Delhi were kinder to the environment than in previous years, due to a combination of strict rules, and people’s planet-friendly leanings. Do you agree that it should be so? Or should Diwali be a “blast” (literally??!!) “NEW DELHI: The motivation could have been global recession, strict enforcement of the law or even plain concern for the environment, but in the end Delhi made an effort to remain “clean and green” this Diwali.The air and noise quality status in the city pre and post Diwali has indicated a “remarkable dip” in the air and noise pollution levels. According to Delhi Pollution Control Committee officials, the levels of pollution have shown a significant decline from the past year.
As per the data collated by DPCC, for the first time in several years the respirable suspended particulate matter has shown “a record decline” at all the 40 locations monitored.
“This substantial fall was particularly noticeable in locations where air pollution levels were very high in the past two years, but decreased drastically this year. The maximum value recorded was 548 ■g/m3 while the lowest was 312 ■g/m3, which is not within the norms but neither very significantly away from it,” a DPCC official said.
A “drastic drop” has also been seen in suspended particulate matter. All the 35 monitored locations showed a heavy fall in SPM. R.K. Puram, which was a “heavy polluting locality” last year, has registered the largest drop in pollution levels between 2007 and 2008.
The quantum of oxides of nitrogen also dipped at all the monitored locations and so did the sulphur dioxide content. “The data at all the monitored locations revealed that sulphur dioxide was well within norms, even though there were marginal increases or decreases at different locations. This also augurs well for the future because despite 5.4 million vehicles, sulphur dioxide levels remained within the norms everywhere,” the official said.
Carbon monoxide values too were found within the limits at most of the locations with a few exceptions.
“The overall noise levels during Diwali 2008 showed a declining trend at all the 10 locations monitored by DPCC, and nine locations monitored by Central Pollution Control Board. While the Diwali noise levels were higher than any normal day, the intensity of the level was higher, but not intolerably high. On the whole Diwali 2008 was quieter and cleaner in Delhi than in the last few years,” the DPCC official asserted.
Attributing the fall in the noise and air pollution levels to the strict enforcement of laws, DPCC officials appreciated the Delhi police’s initiative to restrict cracker licenses to one per locality to discourage their sales.
Since 4,000 licences were reduced by the police, the demand for crackers was curtailed.
“The police implemented the request of DPCC to use PCR vans in the city to announce stoppage of cracker bursting after 10 p.m. and this was well implemented on Diwali night. Rounds were taken by senior officials including DPCC chairman and member secretary and it was found that in many areas bursting of crackers was stopped or significantly reduced after 10 p.m.,” said an official.”
